Airplane-rib construction



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J. 'NMPP ET ML AIHPLANE RIB CONSTRUCTION Filed Dec. 19, '1917 VE TOR)miv llatented pr, 24, 1923,

RAPP; 'WILLIAM IU. f 1 l r- ISTR/ELTON 0]? SAID JOHN W. MPP, DECEASED.

ron; ar rra urn-ar cosraucrrarv.

application ated hecemher 119, t9tt. ttertal tto. 997,999.

To all whom t may concern."

Be it known that we, donn W. Haier and Joanna VANonro, both citizens oitthe ll'nited `tltates, and residing at l"1` lashing and llroolra lyn,respectively, in the counties of Queens and liings and State ot NewYorlr, have invented a new and Improved Airplane-Rib Qonstruction, etwhich the tollowing speciheation is a lull disclosure. f

l@ 'llhis invention relates to improvements in rib construction torairplane wingsand the lilre.

The primary object oil this invention is to produce a steel ribconstruction lor airplane 15 wings and the'lilrewhich will have greatrigidity and strength and .will be suficiently light in weight that itmay be employed tor ribs and spars in the construction el wings andother aerotoils. y

2a lin a more intense aspect, our invention comprehends the productionoit a rib lor wings and lilre arts, the parts ot" which rib may beassemb ed and secured together by spot weldin with great rapidity andwhen 25 so assembled will have a maximum ol rigidity.

lln the accompanying drawings, in which similar' reference charactersdesignate corresponding parts throughout the several views,

ltig. 1 is a side elevation oit a rib embodying our invention;

K llig. 2 is a plan view ot the rib shown in li., l

35 ""ig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary view in side elevation ot our saidrib;

llig. d is a'vertical section through our rib talren at any junction ofthe diagonal bracing members and tu lig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentaryview in perspective ot our said rib..

-elerring now to these figures, 1 indicates an airplane aeroi'oil rib,which has top and bottom longitudinal members 2, 2, each sub- U'stantially T-shaped in conformation, which when the rib is in place in awing or thelihe are connected to trame members 3, 3' at the oppositemarginal edges of a wing. The

members 2 9 are as shown connected to b gather transversely by bracingmembers 9. l of the top and bottom longitudinal members 2 9 yis formedof a single strip ot sheet metal bent to provide a substantially atouter central portion 5, oppositely-disposed return portions 6, 6ftwhich extend inat wardly toward the center line ot the strip, andparallel marginal #danges 7 7 extending at substantially right angles tothe return portions and torming a seat or channel 9 be tween the samewhich is adapted to receive t9 and retain the opposite ends ol thediagonal bracing members 9 so as to permit a ready assembly and aspot-welding connection ot said diagonal members to the said marginalhanges. v tt its illustrated, the body ol the longitudinal memberscomprising the portions 5, d and 6? is provided with pertorations l0which reduces the weight ot such members and-permits relatively heavystoclrto be emt9 ployed. rlhese perilorations are preterably arrangeddiagonally along the central portion 5 so as to leave diagonal bracingyportions 'll ol the metal between such ertorations. rlhis arrangement olthe: per orations lll while materially reducing the weight will notmaterially reduce the strength ot the member.

Each ot the dia onal members 9, as shown, has its ends oppositelybeveled or its corners 99 cut away so as to provide a central point 9mand at beveled edges 9 on opposite sides thereozt, whereby theimembers 9may beused interchangeably, and when the same are arranged as shown, oneot the edges 9b will 95 abut against the inner surtace et the lontudinal members and the other edge will abut against a similaroppositely beveled edge or end oil the adjacent bracing mernbers, which,as illustrated, cross each other 99 diagonally in single pairs so as toleave relatively large openings between the said pairs and between thetop and bottom longitudinal embers and also relatively large openingsbetween the opposite portions ot the 95 members of the pair and saidlongitudinal top and bottom members.

Each, bracing member 9 is also prelerably provided with an embossedreintorein rib 9 which extends longitudinally thereol" and lll@ lendsstrength to the said bracing members. In constructing the rib, thebracing meers 9 are seated within the slot or seat 9 in the manner aboveset torth andthe opposite ends are spot welded `as at t9 to the angeslill 't' lt ol te longitual mebers.

lt is obvious vthat a construction ot the character hereinabovedescribed may used secure ginal fianges extending parallel to each otherto form a seat therebetween; diagonal braclng members, each embossedalong lts longitudinal axis. and arranged along the longi-A tudinal axesof the said T-shaped members in single pairs, one member only of eachpair crossing another, and having opposite ends seated within andabutting at opposite surfaces against the parallel marginal flanges ofsaid T-shaped members and also having a connection to said parallelflanges.

2. An aerofoil frame construction embodyilig in said marginal frame,each comprising top and bottom T-shaped members marginal frame membersand ribsv formed of'a single strip of sheet metal perforated between itsside edges and bent to provide an intermediate fiat outer rtion, returnportions extending inwar ly toward the center line of the strip andmarginal anges extending parallel to each other to form a seattherebetween; diagonal bracing members, each embossed along itslongitudinal axis and having its ends beveled, said bracing membersbeing arranged in single pairs, one member onlyof each pair crossinanother and havingopposite ends seated within the saidseat formedbetween the parallel marginal flanges of said T-shaped members with oneof the bevelled edges at each end abutting against the inner surface ofa longitudinal member and the other bevelled edge abutting against abevelled edge of a member of an adjacent pair, said ends also having 'apermanent-connection with said parallel flanges.

In witness whereof, we hereunto subscribe our names, as attested by thesubscribing witness.

JOHN w. RAP?. JOSEPH vANoRIo.

Witness z W. C. LANGE.

